Car Key Replacement in Vancouver, WA

Proving the car is yours

A new key can start the car, so have proof that you have a right to it ready to show:

• photo ID
• the title or current registration, in the same name as the ID
• for a leased, company or newly bought car, the lease, an authorization letter from the company or the bill of sale
• the VIN, which is printed on the registration and, on most cars, on a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side

If the registration is locked inside the car, say so in your request; the VIN plate at the base of the windshield can also be read from outside.

Where the car is waiting

The city's parking FAQ says vehicles left on the street for more than a day may be cited or towed. A car with no working key can easily sit that long while a replacement is arranged, so if yours is on a Vancouver street, note when it was parked and put that in your request. If it has already been towed from a city street or lot, the FAQ says to call 311. This is general information, not legal advice.

Work vehicles raise a different issue. Around the Port of Vancouver in Fruit Valley, a car or truck inside a gated industrial yard may need someone with gate access and the company's authorization before any key work can start.

Details to include

1. Year, make and model, and whether the car uses a plain key, a key with a built-in remote or a push-button start fob.
2. Whether any working key is left. Copying a working key is usually simpler than making one when every key is lost.
3. The VIN.
4. The exact location: neighborhood, block and cross streets, or the yard or lot name.
5. Whether the car is locked, and whether it is on the street, in a driveway or in a garage.

If you still have a working fob and want another added, see key fob programming. The car key replacement page describes the work; parking notes for the city are on the Vancouver page.